CWC 2023: "Let's not run away from reality"- Gautam Gambhir slams those who said "best team didn't win" World Cup

Gautam Gambhir said that people should be honest before making any bizarre statements.

Pat Cummins poses with the World Cup trophy | Getty Images

Former Indian opener and cricket expert Gautam Gambhir made a shocking statement on Team India's defeat against Australia in the recent ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 final.

Gambhir refused to say that the Indian cricket team was the best in the recent World Cup tournament. Notably, the Men in Blue won all its league games and the semi-final, but suffered a six-wicket defeat against Australia in the final of the ODI World Cup 2023.

After India’s heartbreaking defeat in the final, many cricket experts are saying that Rohit Sharma's team was the best in CWC 2023, but they had one bad game and could not win the title.

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Well, Gambhir disagreed with such statements, and said that the best team did win the World Cup trophy, and that was Australia. He further said that people should be honest before making any bizarre statements.

Gautam Gambhir said in a chat on Sportskeeda: “A lot of people might not like it. I heard some of the experts saying that the best team has not gone on to win the World Cup. That's absolutely not true. That's one of the bizarre statements that I have heard. It's actually the best team that has won the World Cup. Let's be honest.”

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Gambhir further explained his statement: “India won 10 matches and were in very good form, so they were favorites. But Australia had also won eight games in a row after losing the first two. Only the best team wins the World Cup.

You cannot define it that way - that India won 10 matches but played one poor game. The reality is the semi-final and the final were the knockout matches. It did not matter whether you finished first or fourth [in the league stage].”

He signed off by saying, “It is easy to win six out of eight league matches. Winning two out of two when you know any mistake can cost you is difficult. Let's accept that the best team has gone on to win the World Cup. India did not play well, let's not run away from reality.”

 
 

By Rashmi Nanda - 22 Nov, 2023

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